The Okaw Valley CUSD #302 Board of Education took another step Tuesday toward our long term goal of revitalizing facilities in our district.

The Board of Education approved a resolution Tuesday to put the question to voters on the April 2 ballot to issue $6.5 million in school building bonds.

If approved by voters on April 2, the bonds will fund the construction of a new gymnasium to attach to the current gym at the high school, a new entryway into the front of the middle school and new playground equipment at the elementary school.

Our current gymnasium was built in 1937 and no longer fits our needs. The new project will provide us with significantly more gym space for practices, games and physical education classes for our kids. It will also include the addition of a modern heating and air-conditioning system for both gymnasiums, making for a much more comfortable environment for students and families.

Our middle school will also become a much safer building because the main office will be near the entryway, which means visitors will no longer have to navigate hallways to find it. Lastly, the new elementary school playground will become a much more fun and safe place for our kids.

This project represents another phase in our long-term goal of revitalizing facilities in our district. The previous phase of construction of the agriculture building, science labs, track, & athletic facilities was paid for with district reserve funds.

I know many of you will have questions, so I want to assure you there will be an opportunity to provide input. We are planning a series of informational public meetings in the weeks to come that will address questions, such as how this project would affect your tax bill. Be on the lookout on social media for additional updates.

Okaw Valley CUSD #302 is committed to ensuring that the community and district remain vibrant and move forward. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Kent Stauder, Superintendent

Our mission is to create a learning community that prepares all students to be